In 1987, John Gibson put pen to paper – literally – to sketch a detailed plan for the establishment
of a new agency to assist survivors of torture living in Victoria. One of the functions he identified
was “sensitisation of mainstream services” to particular needs of this population. John’s
document is now on display at our Brunswick office, in a room named in his honour after his
death in 2102.

John Gibson AM (1950-2012) was one of Australian refugee sector’s best-loved and most
admired advocates, working tirelessly to promote the rights of refugees and asylum seekers for
over 25 years. He was respected both in Australia and internationally for his knowledge of refugee
law, his advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers and his leadership of Australia’s refugee
sector.

John was the founding chairperson of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (also
known as Foundation House) and served as the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) President
between January 2006 and August 2012 as a Member (Part-Time) of the Refugee Review Tribunal
for four years. A member of the Victorian Bar, he operated a specialist practice in refugee and
migration law, served as junior counsel in a number of significant High Court cases on refugee
issues and provided information, advice and training on a variety of refugee-related issues both in
Australia and overseas. In 2013, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia “for significant
service to international relations as an advocate for human rights”.

John had a strong commitment to promoting the empowerment of people from refugee
backgrounds and ensuring that their voices are heard in national and international policy debates.
Following his passing in September 2012 after a long battle with cancer, RCOA established the
John Gibson Refugee Community Leadership Grant to support the participation of advocates
from refugee communities in key international discussions on refugee issues.

The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (also known as Foundation House) is committed to child safety. We are committed to promoting and protecting the interests and safety of children and this is reflected in our organisational policies, protocols and staff development.